The invention relates generally to an apparatus for unloading objects and, more specifically, to an apparatus to assist in unloading bulky objects onto conveyors.
The movement of goods efficiently through commerce is of great importance to the modern economy of today. More and more manufacturers attempt to save costs by maintaining a minimal inventory of parts, relying on the just in time delivery of parts to maintain production and of goods to restock the shelves in stores, thereby limiting the expense of maintaining a large inventory of parts and goods. As a result, rapid and efficient loading and unloading of vehicles has become more and more important in the modern economy.
Current methods and apparatus for unloading vehicles are not as efficient as possible. For example, mobile conveyors exist that can be rolled into vehicles which facilitate moving boxes outside the vehicle. Some conveyors are even powered, thereby assisting the removal of items from the vehicles. However, items still must be manually loaded onto the conveyor and the conveyor is maintained at a single height. Accordingly, unloading boxes from the upper reaches of a vehicle can require a great amount of physical effort and time to safely remove the object from the upper reaches of the vehicle and safely bring the object down to the height of the conveyor. Such stretching and reaching often causes injuries to the people unloading the vehicle. Further, large and bulky items often are damaged when they are unloaded from the upper reaches of the vehicle. Setting the height of the conveyor at a higher level develops its own problems, making those unloading a vehicle lift the large and bulky boxes up and onto the elevated conveyor which puts great physical stress on the unloaders and significantly increases the probability of a box being dropped thereby damaging the goods in the box.
A mobile unloading apparatus for unloading items from a variety of heights is disclosed. The apparatus has a ramp movable between a first ramp position and a second ramp position. The ramp is centered over a central opening and a conveyor. The apparatus has a first walkway section on a first conveyor side above a supporting surface, a second walkway section on a second conveyor side above the supporting surface and a third walkway section above the supporting surface wherein the third walkway section can be moved from a first walkway position to a second walkway position. Optionally, the third walkway section is made up of a first pivoting platform section and a second pivoting platform section. In some embodiments, the first walkway section and second walkway section are on opposite sides of the conveyor.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the ramp is connected to a transfer platform by a pivot. In another aspect of the invention, the first ramp position has the loading end of the ramp and the unloading end of the ramp raised by a spring above the conveyor such that items can flow on the conveyor beneath the ramp.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, the second ramp position has a loading ramp end positioned above an unloading ramp end and the unloading ramp end positioned in close proximity to the conveyor allowing items to flow down the ramp from the loading ramp end to the unloading ramp end onto the conveyor. The ramp may rest on a support when the ramp is in the second position.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the first walkway position has the third walkway section suspended virtually horizontal and parallel to the conveyor in close proximity to the first and second walkway sections allowing a user to travel continuously on the first, second and third walkway. In addition, the second walkway position may have the third walkway section virtually vertical creating the central opening allowing the conveyor to project through and beyond the apparatus. Optionally, the ramp may be at least twenty-four inches above the conveyor when the ramp is in the first ramp position.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, items can be passed through the apparatus on the conveyor when the ramp is in the first ramp position and the third walkway section is in the second position. Other features and advantages are inherent in the apparatus claimed and disclosed or will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and its accompanying drawings.